Safe Harbor
by kamert
Summary: Provincetown has a new Deputy Sheriff - and when the newly sworn peace officer meets the town's doctor, she discovers what she never realized she was missing. AU
1. Chapter 1

**A/N: **Here is another of Radclyffe's books which is really nice to read and fits pretty well with nanofate. After some discussion with Angelbreed2121, I've started the adaptation and hopefully you'll enjoy it as much as we do.

**Disclaimer: **This is an adaptation of a book of the same title by Radclyffe. I do not own any of the story or characters in this fanfiction nor the original Safe Harbor and Magical Girl Lyrical Nanoha.

**Chapter One**

Provincetown's newest, and only, deputy sheriff pulled her cruiser to a stop in the parking lot overlooking Herring Cove. It was 6 a.m. on a clear, crisp morning in May. Other than a Winnebago parked at the far end of the lot, she was alone. To her right stretched the curve of sand leading to Race Point, and in the distance she could make out the figures of a few early morning walkers. Seagulls swayed low over the water, searching for their breakfast, their shrill calls echoing on the wind. The water reflected the colour of the nearly cloudless sky, iridescent blues and greens slashed through by the frothy white of the churning waves. The air carried the damp mist that hovered over the dunes, chilling her skin. Despite the chill, she rolled the windows down, allowing the scent and sounds of the sea to rustle through the vehicle. A coffee cup sat on the dash, tendrils of steam drifting off on the breeze. Unconsciously, she shifted her equipment belt, settling the revolver more comfortably against her right hip.

She reached for her coffee, her gaze idly following a trawler far out on the bay. Her mind held no clear thoughts, only the impressions of the timeless forces of nature that surrounded her. She felt totally insignificant and yet completely at peace. She felt more at home than she ever had. That fact should have been surprising, considering that she had only called this tiny town on the curving finger of land thrust arrogantly out into the Atlantic _home_ for a few weeks. She had moved across the country to a place she had never even visited before, leaving behind a life that had shaped her since she was a child. Nevertheless it felt right to be here, and she accepted it with equanimity, as she had been trained to face all the circumstances life presented her.

Her attention was caught by a flash of colour closer to shore. A white kayak with a bright blue racing stripe streaked into view, the powerful rhythmic strokes of the kayaker propelling the craft swiftly through the water. Rather than disrupting the quietude, the image of churning arms and slicing paddle seemed to blend with the motion of the waves, joining in the harmony of swirling tides. She watched until the craft was just a dot on the horizon before she started her engine and pulled slowly away from the waters' edge.

* * *

><p>Sheriff Tiida Lanster glanced up as the door to the station opened, admitting a gust of wind that rustled the papers on his desk. The Sheriff's department was one large room with several desks that was separated from the waiting area by a low railing and a latched gate that squeaked when opened. In an adjoining room, at the rear of the building, were two holding cells that rarely saw any use. His deputy entered with the last of the breeze, and he was surprised once again by the slight disquiet he felt whenever he saw her.<p>

Maybe it was her height, she was damn near as tall as he was, or maybe it was the way she carried herself, ramrod straight even at parade rest. She had slightly broader shoulders and slimmer hips than most women did, and she was in better physical shape than any of his men. The trim fit of her khaki uniform reminded him once again that he needed to work off those extra pounds that seemed to have settled all too solidly around his waist. Maybe it was only that she seemed totally unaware of how imposingly good looking she was in that androgynous way that so many of the Provincetown women had. He thought ruefully that he might be just a little jealous.

"Morning, Chief!" she said, as she headed for the coffee machine. A frown creased the sculpted features of her face as she tilted the pot to survey the two inches of dark liquid in the bottom. "Last night's?"

"'Fraid so, Fate," he answered apologetically. "I just nuked mine and chewed it."

"Jesus," she muttered, dumping the remains in the sink. "That looks worse than barracks coffee. And I wouldn't even drink that unless I was half dead." She started a fresh pot and settled behind the other desk. There were a few reports from the night shift stacked in the tray, and she picked them up to review.

"Anything I should know?" she asked.

"Nothing out of the ordinary. A few traffic stops for speeding, one DUI, and a couple of bar brawls down at the General Bradford. Not much happening until this weekend, I expect."

She glanced at the calendar displayed in one corner of the bulletin board. It was two days before Memorial Day Weekend. She had not yet experienced the transformation that befell the tiny fishing village with the onset of the summer season. Beginning in the end of May until after Labor Day, a flood of tourists would swell the normal population of several thousand to many times that number. The townspeople depended on the influx of visitors to support their economy, despite the constant complaints by the year-rounders of the hectic crowds and unmanageable traffic.

"Yep," the sheriff continued, "expect a lot of traffic - vehicular and foot, more accidents, more nightlife, and more drunk and disorderlies. Six months of non-stop pandemonium, and then six months of deadly quiet."

Fate filed the reports silently, envisioning the weeks of work ahead of her.

"Think you'll be able to stand the winters?" Lanster asked. "By December you'll be able to see the length of Commercial Street without a car blocking your view. You'll walk down the street and the only footprints in the snow will be yours."

Fate looked up in surprise, her burgundy eyes questioning. "Why wouldn't I?"

He shrugged, curiosity warring with his sense of diplomacy. She'd been working for him for almost two months and he didn't know word one about her personal life. She never mentioned her past, or talked of any family. He found it hard to believe that someone who looked like her wasn't attached someway. Still, she never left any room for those kinds of questions, and he often found himself fishing for some clue as to who she was. "It's probably not the kind of life you've been used to."

Fate fiercely guarded her privacy. It was not only instinctual, it was learned. She fought the urge to leave his unspoken question unanswered. This man was not only her boss, but the person she was likely to spend most of her time with in the coming months. In his own way he was trying to be friendly. She reminded herself she had nothing to hide. "The life I was used to was military life, Sheriff. It can be _very_ boring in its own way. It hasn't changed much in two hundred years."

"You're way over qualified for this job," he continued. "I knew that when I hired you. I just couldn't_ not_ hire you, not with your military police experience and a law degree thrown in."

She contemplated how much she wanted to share. Her social interactions were molded by a lifetime in the military, a rigid hierarchical world where relationships were defined and shaped by rank and politics. There were rules determining where you ate, where you slept, and whom you could and could not sleep with. There were ways around those rules if you were careful, and so inclined. Fate had never found the need to challenge them, but she was far from naive about the consequences. Revealing ones thoughts, and certainly ones feelings, could be dangerous and in some instances, deadly. As a young recruit she had been taught there were only three acceptable answers to any question or request put to her by a superior - "Yes sir", "No sir," and "No excuse sir".

She took a breath. "After fifteen years I found I was getting a little cramped in the military. I had to make a decision to stay for the rest of my life or make a move. I didn't like military law, but I still wanted to work the law, just differently. This job gives me the chance to do that." She didn't even try to explain the unrelenting restlessness she had felt the last few years; she didn't understand it herself. She had looked at her life and couldn't fault it, yet still she had left. She was here; she was happy with her decision; and she looked forward to her new life.

He looked at his deputy, wondering what she wasn't saying. She returned his look impassively, and he knew he had all the answers he was going to get.

"Well, I'm glad to have you," he said gruffly. "And for Christ's sake, call me Tiida."

She brushed the lock of golden blonde hair from her face with one long fingered hand, a tiny smile deepening a single dimple to the right of her mouth. Her clear wine-red eyes were laser-like in their focus.

"Sure thing, Chief," she responded, suppressing the grin. "You want to take the first circuit through town or you want me to?"

He shook his head, trying not to laugh. "You go ahead. I'm waiting for a call about next year's budget from the County Office. God, I hate the paperwork. I should never have run for Sheriff. I was much happier as the Deputy Sheriff."

"Too late now," Fate replied. "The job's taken." She settled her hat over her thick, long hair, snapping the brim to secure it over her deep-set eyes. For a second, Tiida had the urge to salute her. Grabbing her keys, she headed happily for the door. She loved to be out on patrol, simply observing the day to day activities of the community she had made her own.

* * *

><p>She had nearly completed her slow tour through the still sleeping village when the Sheriff radioed her.<p>

"Fate?"

"Here," she answered, thumbing on her mike.

"They need you out at the clinic on Holland Road. A break-in."

She wheeled her cruiser up one of the narrow side streets that criss-crossed the main part of town, flipping her lights on with one hand.

"Two minutes," she replied tersely. "Is there a suspect on the scene?"

"Negative. But keep an eye out on your way. The doc just got there, so we don't know how long the suspect's been gone. And Fate - the doctor is inside the building."

"Roger that," Fate replied curtly. A civilian in an unsecured building could easily turn into a hostage situation. At the very least it made her reconnaissance more difficult because she had to be on guard for both innocent bystanders as well as the possible perpetrator. She did not use her siren. If anyone was still there, it was best not to alert them. For the same reason, she did not want an army of police cars barrelling into the scene. Not that there _were_ an army of patrol cars in the small Provincetown force.

"I'll call in when I've checked the area. Hold the back-up for now."

She saw no one suspicious as she travelled the short distance to the East End Health Clinic. The small parking lot was empty except for a Jeep Cherokee with a kayak roped to the top. She recognized the white craft she had seen an hour earlier on the bay. She left her cruiser angled across the drive, blocking the exit. She quickly circled the building on foot, noting the shattered window at the rear of the small one storey structure.

As she moved around to the front, the door was opened by an auburn-haired woman in a white lab coat. Her cobalt eyes were wide with concern. She leaned slightly on a burnished mahogany cane. The lower end of a leg brace was apparent below the cuff of her creased blue jeans.

"I'm Deputy Sheriff Testarossa, ma'am. I'll need you to step outside." Fate had slipped her gun from its holster and held it down by her side. As she spoke she took the woman firmly by the elbow and maneuvered her out through the door onto the small porch. "Please wait in the patrol car while I check the building."

"There's no one here," the woman replied. "I looked."

Fate nodded, her eyes already scanning the interior of the clinic. "Just the same, you need to wait outside."

"Of course," the doctor replied. She stepped down off the porch, then turned back. "Patients will be arriving in a few minutes."

"Just keep them in the parking lot," Fate instructed as she moved cautiously into the waiting area. After she checked the offices and examining rooms, she returned to her cruiser and called Tiida.

"Chief?"

"Go ahead, Fate."

"No one on the premises. I'll be here for a while getting the details."

"Let me know what you get."

"Will do." She turned in the seat to face the woman beside her. "Why don't we go inside and you can fill me in."

"I'm Nanoha Takamachi, by the way. I'm the clinic director," the woman informed her as they entered the building, extending her hand as she spoke.

Fate took the offered hand, returning the firm grasp. "Fate Testarossa, doctor. Can you tell me what you found when you arrived?"

"I opened up at my usual time - 7 a.m.," the doctor began once they entered her office. "I didn't notice anything unusual until I opened exam room one. You saw the mess for yourself," she added in disgust. She leaned her cane against her desk and sat behind it, her folded hands resting on the scratched surface. They were steady, Fate noted.

"I called the Sheriff immediately, then I looked around."

_A brave but dangerous thing to do_, Fate thought to herself. "Did you see anyone walking on the road before you got here, or a car that seemed out of place?"

"No. But then I wasn't looking for anything. I came straight here from Herring Cove."

Fate studied the woman carefully, noting the strong forearms exposed by the rolled sleeves of her white coat. She wore a simple deep blue polo shirt and pressed blue jeans underneath. She looked to be about thirty-five, lightly tanned with a smattering of freckles on her cheeks that only added to her attractiveness. She had the well-toned look of an athlete, despite the cane at her side. "Your kayak?"

Nanoha ran a hand absently through the short layers of her bangs, shrugging slightly as she did so.

"Yes." She waited for the expression of disbelief that usually followed. Most people looked at her leg and assumed she couldn't manage anything physical. She had come to expect it, but it still angered her.

"Do you do that everyday?" Fate asked pointedly.

"Yes, why?" Nanoha replied defensively.

"Because in a town this small any local would know that," Fate responded evenly, giving no sign that she had heard the edge in the doctor's tone. "And they would also know when the clinic was empty."

"Oh, I see," Nanoha murmured, feeling a little foolish at her own reaction. She wasn't usually so sensitive. Maybe it was just the stress of the situation or the fact that this rigidly professional officer unsettled her. The cool, controlled manner of the woman across from her was disconcerting. She was so remote as to be unreadable. Nanoha was used to establishing rapport quickly with people, and now she felt a little off balance. The sheriff's precise, impersonal approach reminded her of some surgeons she had known - excellent technicians but no feel for people.

"Are you all right, Doctor?" Fate asked quietly. The woman's tension was obvious.

Nanoha was more affected by the violation of her clinic than she had realized, a fact that apparently had not escaped the notice of the observant sheriff. She was embarrassed to appear less than capable in front of her, and then quickly wondered why she should care. She took a deep breath and let it out slowly. "Yes, I'm fine, thank you. I'm usually much better in a crisis."

Fate smiled. "I don't imagine you deal with this sort of thing very often."

Nanoha breath caught at the sudden transformation that accompanied that brilliant smile. Suddenly, the sculpted features were suffused with compassionate warmth, and a stunning beauty. It was like watching a work of art unexpectedly come to life. She blushed at her visceral reaction, hoping she wasn't as transparent as she felt. She was grateful to see that the blonde head was bent over a small note pad Fate had balanced on her crossed knee. Taking herself firmly in hand, Nanoha replied calmly, "You're right. What can I tell you that will help?"

"What's missing?"

Nanoha raised her hands helplessly. "I have no idea. I'll have to inventory all the examining rooms and the pharmacy."

"What drugs do you have here?"

"The usual - antibiotics, a lot of pharmaceutical samples, AIDS meds—"

"What about narcotics?"

"Not much. I don't dispense drugs here, but I need a small quantity of a variety of medications in the event of emergency. I'm the only doctor for thirty-five miles. I have a limited supply of codeine, percocet, methadone."

"Injectibles?"

"About a dozen ampoules of morphine. All of the narcotics are locked in the drug closet."

"Was it broken into?"

"I didn't have time to check."

"Let's do that."

Fate followed the doctor into a small room at the rear of the building that was little more than a walk-in closet. Shelves held linens, sealed surgical packs, IV solutions, and other supplies. A cabinet with a built in lock was tucked into the corner of the room.

Nanoha sighed with relief when she saw that the door to the drug locker appeared sound. Inserting a key, she opened the front and scanned the interior.

"It looks okay."

"Good," Fate replied. "I'll need a list of all the employees, the cleaning service, and anyone else who has access to this building. Who owns the building?"

"I do." Nanoha grasped Fate's arm as Fate turned to leave the storeroom. "There's no way anyone who works here would do this."

Fate faced her, her expression carefully neutral. "I'm sure you're right. It's just routine."

After Nanoha prepared a preliminary list, Fate folded it into her note pad. She studied the doctor for a moment, not missing the slightly distracted look in her eyes.

"Are you sure you're all right?"

Nanoha extended her hand, squaring her shoulders and lifting her chin. She was very aware of being appraised by the cool burgundy eyes that searched her face. "I am. Thank you, Sheriff."

Fate shook the offered hand.

"Ma'am." She touched a hand to her hat and left.


	2. Chapter 2

**A/N: **Next chapter is up! Warning: there's going to be OCs in this story, if you don't like it please turn back now. Some of the characters are also going to be a little ooc, but that's a given since this is an AU.

**Disclaimer: **This is an adaptation of a book of the same title by Radclyffe. I do not own any of the story or characters in this fanfiction nor the original Safe Harbor and Magical Girl Lyrical Nanoha.

**Chapter Two**

"Nanoha! Nanoha! Where are you?"

"In here," Nanoha called, "in the procedure room." She looked up from where she was kneeling, sorting and cataloguing supplies, to greet the clinic's head nurse. "Hey, Ai - glad to see you."

"What is going on? Are you okay?" Aina Triton asked anxiously, surveying the mess on the floor.

"Yeah, I'm fine - somebody broke in last night."

"I saw the cop out front. She's a new one, isn't she?" Aina retrieved several unopened boxes of surgical gauze from the floor and stacked them on the counter. "What a hunk! Did you catch the body? Jesus!"

"God, you never miss a thing do you?

"Not when it comes to women," Aina laughed. "So are we seeing patients or what?"

Nanoha rose slowly to her feet, trying to ignore the cramp in her leg. "I think we'd better reschedule the morning ones. We need to clean this place up and figure out what's missing.

Aina sighed. "I'll start calling. Come out when you can and tell me about this morning."

"You mean tell you all about the Deputy Sheriff, don't you?" Nanoha questioned sharply. She wasn't sure why, but she didn't want to talk about the remote, albeit attractive sheriff. She would rather forget about her all together. Nanoha knew that the sheriff had simply been doing her job - calmly, coolly, and entirely professionally. But there had been something about her attitude of command that had taken Nanoha by surprise. No one had ever managed to set her emotions so on edge from a single encounter. And no woman had captured her attention so immediately in more years than she could count.

Aina couldn't miss the strain in Nanoha's voice. She had never known anything to upset her usually implacable demeanor. In fact, sometimes Aina wondered if her reclusive friend wouldn't benefit from a little disruption in her life. From her point of view, Nanoha's life was altogether too safe and predictable. In the four years they'd worked together, she had never known her to date anyone, or even show interest in doing so. Nanoha worked longer and longer hours, refusing to consider taking on an associate, and even when she could be coaxed out to a party, she usually made an excuse to leave early. Aina had made any number of attempts to set her up with friends, but Nanoha always smiled and firmly declined.

"You don't like her, do you?" Aina stated. "She's so gorgeous she should be illegal - so tell me what she did to piss you off."

Nanoha looked startled, her cheeks colouring. "I don't have any opinion of her, one way or the other. I hardly know her!"

"So, okay!" Aina cried, raising her hands in mock surrender. "So don't tell me what she did to make you so touchy!"

Nanoha stared at her in total exasperation. "Just go, already! Call patients!" She turned resolutely back to her checklist, determined to put the tall, beautiful officer from her thoughts.

* * *

><p>"So, what have you got?" Tiida asked before Fate even reached her desk.<p>

She pulled a blank report form from a stack in the file cabinet and settled into her chair.

"Amateur break in. Rear window smashed, cabinets rifled, stuff thrown around. They didn't get to the drug cabinet, which either means they weren't locals or the doctor surprised them before they had finished."

Fate reflected on the clear strong features of the clinic director - her rich auburn hair and porcelain skin, and the way her blue eyes sparked fire when she was provoked. The thought of Nanoha Takamachi walking in unexpectedly in the midst of a bungled robbery made her uncomfortable. She had a feeling the doctor might have tried to handle things herself. Fate dismissed the disconcerting image and unfamiliar disquiet and methodically began to fill out her report.

"What?" Tiida asked when he saw her frown. He could tell something was on her mind; she had that distant look in her eyes again.

"If she had walked into the middle of that, it might have been a disaster," Fate said quietly. "She doesn't look like the type to back away from trouble, and she could have gotten herself hurt."

Tiida snorted. "Don't bet on it. The doc has some kind of black belt in one of those martial arts. Plus she's strong as a horse. I've seen her lift a grown man onto a stretcher without blinking. That leg slows her down some, but it sure doesn't stop her."

"I'm glad to hear she can take care of herself," Fate said, bending her head to her paper work, ignoring the strange lingering unease. There was no point thinking about something that hadn't happened. She had work to do.

Tiida stared at her, aware that he had been dismissed, but at a loss to know why. Damn, she was a hard one to figure!

When Mariel Atenza, the sole department secretary, dispatcher, and general all around manager showed up for her nine to five shift, she found them both silently typing. She wondered, not for the first time, how well the chief was going to adjust to his new deputy. It wasn't so much that she was a woman, as the fact that she _wasn't _so much _like_ a woman. Mariel had a feeling that he hadn't had much close experience with this type. The girl was so private it made you all the more curious. And God knows, Tiida Lanster was too curious as it was! But anyone with a smile like that young one had - the kind that breaks your heart whether you were "that way" or not - was worth getting to know, even if it did take some work!

"Good morning you two!" she said, settling behind the reception desk and general message center. "Why is it you both look busy? The president coming?"

Tiida snorted and Fate smiled as she tilted back in her swivel chair.

"I thought he only went as far as Nantucket," Fate joked. "Not civilized enough out here."

"Then it must be the excitement out at the clinic."

"How do you know about that?" Tiida asked in surprise. Was there nothing Mariel _didn't_ know about?

"You forgot about my scanner, Chief," Mariel replied smugly.

"Don't call me _Chief_," Tiida replied automatically.

Fate stood up and stretched, grinning at the friendly banter. "I'm going to make another tour, Chief," she called, already anxious to be out of the cramped office.

Mariel waited until the door swung closed before turning to the Sheriff.

"How's she doing?"

"About what you'd expect, considering her resume. She's the best officer I've ever had!"

"Quiet, isn't she."

Tiida eyed his old friend speculatively. "Just what is it you want to know, you old busybody?"

"Ha! Like you aren't nosey! I worry about a young girl like that in this town out on the end of nowhere. Could get mighty lonely."

"She doesn't seem lonely to me," Tiida mused. "Just solitary - like she's used to being alone."

"That can get awfully close to lonely," Mariel observed.

"Maybe. But I wouldn't worry about her too much. Looks to me like she'd have no trouble finding company, no matter what kind she chose."

"As if it ain't plain what kind of company that would be!" Mariel commented dryly.

"Now don't go making assumptions, just because this is Provincetown," Tiida remarked, irked that Mariel always seemed to know more than he did.

"Oh, Tiida. You could put that girl anywhere in the country and she'd be turning women's heads!"

"Yours too, Mariel?" he joked.

"If I weren't so old and twenty years married to George, she just might at that."

Tiida stared at her, finally at a loss for words.

* * *

><p>Fate left the engine running outside the deli while she ran inside for a sandwich. The couple who ran the tiny gourmet market in the center of town greeted her warmly. After only a short time she seemed like one of their regulars.<p>

"Tuna, lettuce, and tomato?" Cam called as the tall, trim officer entered.

Fate laughed. "I'm obviously getting too predictable. Make it corned beef today."

"Sure. How's the new house?"

Fate hid her surprise. She hadn't yet gotten used to the easy intimacy of the year round residents. This was definitely not the place to come if you didn't want to know your neighbors.

"Fine. I'm living in it - and the renovations will be done in a few weeks. Sein's crew is really good."

Cam nodded in agreement as he wrapped Fate's order. "I envy you that view. There aren't many places left with a clear line to the bay."

"I was lucky to find it," Fate agreed.

"Here you go. Take care now."

"Thanks."

Fate opened the sandwich on the seat beside her, eating as she slowly cruised through town. There weren't many people in the streets yet, but in two days there would be. She was looking forward to it even though she knew her work would be tripled. She liked the sense of being part of the community, and taking care of it in her own way. Without conscious thought, she found herself headed back to the clinic. The parking lot was crowded as she pulled in.

The young girl behind the counter in the reception area looked harried. Fate waited while she finished making a chart up, standing quietly beside a mother with two small children in tow. She looked up at Fate expectantly, flipping her hair out of her eyes distractedly, face set in an anxious frown.

"Any chance I could see Doctor Takamachi?"

"Oh please! I'd sooner get you an audience with the Pope," she sighed dramatically. "Let me see where she is, okay? We're way behind, but I guess you know why."

Fate nodded, shrugging apologetically.

She returned a moment later.

"Follow me - she'll meet you in her office when she gets a break. She said she'd just be a couple of minutes."

She led her to the office Fate had left just a few hours previously. As she waited, she perused the walls. There was just the one diploma, announcing that Nanoha Takamachi had received her medical degree from McGill University in Canada. Of much more interest were the many framed and mounted photographs of women rowers, some in squads of four or eight, many in single sculls. Fate bent closer to look at the faces. In several photos the woman pulling the oars was unmistakably Nanoha Takamachi.

The sound of the door closing behind her interrupted her study, and she turned to find the doctor watching her.

"Surprised, Sheriff?" Nanoha questioned edgily.

Fate raised an eyebrow at the defensive tone in the woman's voice. Her burgundy eyes met the flashing cobalt ones calmly. "Why should I be?"

Nanoha tapped the leg brace with her cane. The metal rang sharply.

"Ah - to be honest, I didn't think about that," Fate replied, her gaze still surveying Nanoha's face.

Nanoha returned the look steadily and finally shook her head ruefully. "You may be the only person who ever_ has_ forgotten about it."

"I didn't say I forgot," Fate said softly. "It just never occurred to me that it would inhibit you on the water. I saw you this morning - out on the bay. You seemed so much a part of the sea, you didn't even disturb the rhythm of the waves."

Nanoha's lips parted as a small gasp escaped her. There had been many descriptions of her rowing, but none quite so genuine, nor so eloquent. She averted her gaze, swallowing hard.

"Thank you," she said at last into the silence around them. She walked to the desk, finally looking at Fate, who stood ramrod straight in the middle of the room, her hat tucked under one arm. Nanoha wondered if she had any idea how imposing she was, or how attractive.

"Sit down, Sheriff. You're making me nervous," Nanoha said lightly.

Fate laughed, a deep full laugh, as she strode to the chair facing Nanoha's desk. "Now that I doubt."

Nanoha was irrationally pleased at the response, and aware of her disappointment as a serious look eclipsed Fate's smile as quickly as it had come.

"I know you're busy," Fate said. "Have you had a chance to find out what's missing?"

Nanoha sighed wearily. "It would figure today would be the day half the town has the flu. I've been going nonstop since you left. I did get together a list for you though. A damn strange one."

Fate sat up a little straighter, her eyes flashing. "How so?"

"We are missing needles, but not syringes. Some surgical instruments, but not scalpels. Boxes of gauze and alcohol, and of all things - a portable sterilizer."

"No drugs?"

"The narcotics are all accounted for. I can't be sure, because I don't inventory pharmaceutical samples, but I think there is an assortment of antibiotics missing."

"That's it?"

"As near as I can tell. If I find anything else, I'll let you know."

Fate nodded. "Mean anything to you?"

"Not a thing. Addicts would want the syringes. I guess the sterilizer would make sense if someone wanted to reuse the needles, but what good are they without the syringes?"

"I don't know," Fate mused. "How late are you open?"

"Until six, except Wednesdays, when I see patients until ten o'clock."

"Is there someone here with you the whole time?"

"Well, Vita, the receptionist, leaves when the clinic closes, and my nurse, Aina, stays until we clean up. I usually stay an hour or so later to finish the paper work."

"Don't," Fate stated flatly, "at least not for the next few days. Leave when Aina does, and make sure you're both in your cars with the engines running before either of you drives away."

Nanoha looked at her in amazement, her shoulders stiffening. "Is that really necessary? I've got work that needs to be done - and I'm sure this was just some kids—"

"_I'm_ not sure of that," Fate replied firmly. "You're fairly isolated here. There might be something else they wanted and couldn't find this morning. I don't want you here alone if they decide to come back."

Nanoha heard the unmistakable tone of command in her voice, a tone that came easily and suggested that she was used to being obeyed. What she was saying made sense, but Nanoha resented being told how to conduct her business.

"Is there any room for negotiation here, Sheriff Testerossa?"

Again that hint of a smile. "None, Doctor."

Nanoha tapped her pen on the desk, trying to decide if she felt so resistant because the request was unreasonable or because she resented the authority behind the demand. Whatever the reason, this woman had an amazing effect on her. She was so certain, so sure, it made Nanoha want to argue with her, even when she knew what she said made sense. Fate waited.

"All right," Nanoha conceded reluctantly. "I can manage that for a few days."

"A week."

Nanoha's eyes flashed fire as she prepared to protest.

"Please," Fate added.

It was Nanoha's turn to laugh, despite her annoyance. "You are very hard to resist Sheriff," she stated, then immediately regretted her words. Not only did it sound flirtatious, she realized with chagrin that it was true. The sheriff's combination of pristine control and subtle humor was powerfully appealing.

Fate responded dispassionately. "I understand that it's difficult, Dr. Takamachi, and I appreciate your cooperation." She stood and tapped a finger to the brim of her hat. "Thanks for making time in your busy day. I'll let you know when I have a lead on this."

"Thank you!" Nanoha called as Fate left. She sat for a moment trying to gather her thoughts. Again she had the disconcerting sense of being slightly off balance, when she was so used to having everything in her life firmly in hand. Exasperated with herself, she pushed the memory of that fleeting smile and rich laughter from her mind. There was plenty of work still to do, and she could count on that to put the new Sheriff out of her mind.

* * *

><p>At the end of her shift Fate sat in her Bronco in front of the station house fiddling with her keys. She had been avoiding this moment ever since she arrived in Provincetown, and she knew she couldn't delay any longer. The place was just too small. Already most of the storeowners knew her name. She pushed the car into gear and headed for the east end of the three-mile long street that ran the length of town along the harbor's edge. She pulled to the curb in front of one of the myriad galleries tucked into every available niche. After a minute of hesitation, she headed resolutely to the tiny adjoining cottage. She rang the bell, her pulse racing.<p>

A fiftyish woman in baggy jeans and a tattered sweatshirt opened the door, looking questioningly at the tall officer on her steps.

"Yes?" she queried. Then her eyes widened as she focused on the dark burgundy eyes and chiseled features. The resemblance was unmistakable. "Oh my God," she gasped. "Fate?"

"Hello Lindy," Fate said softly.

"Precia!" the woman squeaked. Then finding her voice she called loudly, "Honey, you'd better come here!"

"What is it?" called the tall woman who entered from the rear of the house. She halted behind her lover, at a loss for words.

"Hello mother," Fate said quietly. She looked at her mother, at the lightly tanned skin, the dark hair laced with grey now, and the violet eyes so like her own. Despite her anxiety, she felt strangely peaceful. "I thought it was time I visited."

"I'd giving up hoping you ever would," her mother murmured in a choked voice.

"I'm sorry - I -" Fate faltered, not knowing how to explain the years between them.

"Don't be sorry. Just come in and tell me - well, tell me whatever you want." Precia touched her daughter's cheek gently as she spoke, then reached for her hand to pull her inside. She led Fate through the few rooms to a small kitchen that looked out on the bay.

"Sit," Precia said, pointing to the table in front of the windows. "There's tea?"

"Yes, thanks," Fate said, laying her hat on the table.

"How long have you been here?" her mother asked, unable to take her eyes off the strikingly beautiful woman at her table. If she hadn't been practically cloistered preparing for an upcoming show, she would have known. A newcomer always attracted attention.

"Just eight weeks," Fate said, gesturing to her uniform. "I'm the Deputy Sheriff."

"Just can't give up a uniform, huh?"

Fate laughed and the tension in the room dissipated. "I never thought of it that way, but I think you're right."

"And you live here now," her mother stated in wonder.

Fate nodded, uncharacteristically uncertain. "Is that all right?"

Tears shimmered in her mother's eyes and a small sob escaped her lips. Lindy, her mother's partner, placed her hand protectively on her shoulder, knowing how often she had dreamed of this moment.

"All right is an understatement, Fate," her mother said at last. "I thought when I met Lindy all my dreams had come true. I never even dared hope for this."

Fate looked away as the pain of old memories washed through her.

"If it could have been different Fate, if there was something I could have done—" Her mother stopped, knowing there were no words to explain the past. Or to undo it.

Fate met her mother's gaze evenly, her voice steady. "I didn't come here for an explanation."

Precia twisted the gold band on her ring finger, the one that matched Lindy's, and said sadly, "I tried to tell myself that you would be well cared for, and loved—"

"And I was," Fate said. "But it was time for me to see you - long past time."

Precia searched her daughter's face in alarm. "Are you all right, are you sick, or-?"

"No, I'm fine," Fate smiled, taking her mother's hand.

"So you're here to stay?"

"Yes," Fate said, feeling the rightness of her words. "I am."

Lindy set a large tureen of chowder in the center of the table, saying firmly, "I have a feeling it's going to be a long night."

And they began to talk.

* * *

><p>Next chapter could be up tomorrow. R&amp;R thanks!<p> 


	3. Chapter 3

**Disclaimer: **This is an adaptation of a book of the same title by Radclyffe. I do not own any of the story or characters in this fanfiction nor the original Safe Harbor and Magical Girl Lyrical Nanoha.

**Chapter Three**

It was close to midnight when Fate left them. It had taken that long to sketch in the outline of the last twenty years of her life. They hadn't touched on deeply personal things; neither of them had been ready for that. But it was a beginning, and it felt right. She was too excited to sleep, so she decided to drive.

She turned off Commercial Street, following the meandering turn of narrow streets to the clinic. It wasn't exactly on her way home, but nothing in the two by three-mile town was out of the way. She frowned when she saw the Jeep Cherokee still parked in the lot. The clinic was dark. Fate left her truck on the shoulder of the highway and circled through the scrub and sand to the rear of the clinic. When she gently tried the handle, the rear door swung open. Gun in hand, she made her way slowly down the hall, carefully opening each door she passed.

Rounding a corner into the shadowy reception area, she sensed movement to her right. Swinging her outstretched arms in that direction, gun double-fisted, she shouted, "Police!"

Her movement deflected the already descending blow, but pain seared along her forearm where she was struck. She propelled herself forward, catching her forehead against the edge of a metal file cabinet as she dove. She came up into a crouch, poised to fire on the shape backlit in the moonlight when a voice called out, "Sheriff, no! It's Nanoha Takamachi!"

The lights came on and Fate found herself face-to-face with the doctor, whose cane was still raised for a second sweeping strike.

"Stand down, Doctor," Fate muttered, wiping her face with one hand. Her hand came away bloody, and she swayed, suddenly dizzy.

"Sit down, Sheriff," Nanoha commanded, moving forward quickly. She grasped Fate around the waist, directing her into a chair. "You're injured."

"I need to secure this place," Fate protested, shaking her head, trying to clear her vision. "The back door was unlocked."

"Never mind that. Aina is always forgetting to lock it." Nanoha scrutinized Fate's face carefully.  
>"You're going to need stitches."<p>

"I need to call for backup—"

"Why—am I under arrest? I didn't know it was you until you spoke. I heard a noise in the hall—"

"Terrific," Fate grimaced, doubly embarrassed. "First I announce my presence, then I let you take me out. Maybe you should be wearing the badge!"

Nanoha smiled grimly. "This cane is nearly as deadly as that gun of yours, at least at close range. I'm thankful I didn't break your arm." She looked at Fate with mounting concern. "I didn't, did I?"

Kneeling with some difficulty in front of Fate, she grasped Fate's right hand in hers. "Squeeze my fingers," she said.

"Can't," Fate mumbled, battling a sudden wave of nausea.

"I must have hit the median nerve," she noted clinically. "It may be a couple of hours before you can flex your fingers, but nothing seems broken."

She continued to probe along Fate's forearm, aware of the well-developed muscles under her fingers. "You're lucky you're in such good shape—your muscle mass protected you. Still, we'll need to watch for compression injuries. You're going to get a lot of swelling." She rocked back and studied Fate's face, brushing a lock of hair off Fate's forehead. The sheriff was pale, but her gaze was clear. "You've got a laceration through your eyebrow. We need to go back to the procedure room so I can take care of it. Can you walk?"

Fate nodded, holstering her gun as she carefully pushed herself to a standing position. She extended her left hand to assist Nanoha to her feet.

"I can't tell you how sorry I am, Sheriff," Nanoha began as they moved to the rear of the clinic.

"It was a lesson well learned, Doctor," Fate said grimly. "Having a gun sometimes make you overconfident. A well-trained martial artist is a real threat in close quarters. That's what you are, isn't it?"

"Sit here," Nanoha indicated, motioning to the operating table in the center of the room. She was silent as she opened gloves and a suture tray. "Are you allergic to any drugs?"

"No."

"Lie back. I just need to clean this up a bit." As she set about her work, she continued, "Hapkido. Do you know it?"

"Some - I'm trained in jujitsu," Fate replied, wincing slightly at the sting of the novocaine injection. "Hapkido. That's Korean, isn't it?"

"Uh huh," Nanoha responded as she began placing the sutures. "It's a combination of Aikido and Tae Kwon Do. Fortunately for me, it also teaches the art of the cane."

"Well, it's certainly effective," Fate said flatly. "You'll have to show me sometime."

"If you like. There, that's it. I'll need to take these stitches out in five days." She pulled the stool over and sat down facing Fate. "What are you doing here?"

"I happened to be driving by and I saw your Jeep. The place was dark. I was worried. You're not supposed to be here alone, remember?"

Nanoha sighed, "I know. We ran so late I sent everyone home an hour ago. I had literally just finished and was heading out the door when I heard you. I am so sorry—"

"Please," Fate said, pushing herself up to a sitting position. Thankfully her head felt clear. "I'm glad to know you can take care of yourself so well. Let's just leave it at that, okay?"

Nanoha stood, reaching for an alcohol swab. When she cupped Fate's chin in one hand, Fate tensed.

"You've got blood on your neck," Nanoha said quietly, wiping the skin gently.

"Thank you," Fate murmured, her eyes meeting Nanoha's deep cobalt ones. She was acutely aware of the warmth in Nanoha's touch.

Nanoha stepped back quickly, averting her gaze as she quickly broke their contact. The withdrawal was so abrupt, Fate shivered involuntarily. Nanoha frowned. "You need to be in bed. Come on, I'll drive you home."

"I'm okay," Fate muttered, jumping down from the table. She swayed with a sudden wave of dizziness, and would have fallen if Nanoha hadn't slipped her arm quickly around her waist.

"Not quite, you're not. You may be strong, but you're not made of steel. You've had a nasty blow to your head and with that arm, you're not fit to drive. I mean it."

"I can't leave my truck on the road," Fate protested.

"I'll drive it. Come on."

* * *

><p>"Go get into bed," Nanoha said when Fate led them into the living room of her new home. "I'll get some ice for your arm - kitchen through there?" she indicated with a nod of her head.<p>

"Yes, but I can get it—"

Nanoha rounded on Fate, her eyes flashing. "Look Sheriff, you can save the butch routine for the bad guys. I _know_ you can get it. The point is that I want you to lie down, so_ I'm_ going to get it."

Fate stared at her, an uncomprehending look on her face. "I'm not trying to be butch! I'm just used to doing things for myself."

Nanoha's features softened, and a smile curved her full lips. "Yes, I'll bet you are. But tonight you don't have to. Now go on—please."

Nanoha found her a few minutes later awkwardly trying to hang her gun belt and uniform in the closet. Her right arm was still uncoordinated and visibly swollen. She had managed to pull on a faded cotton T-shirt, USMC stenciled over her left chest. Her legs were bare below the hem of the shirt. Nanoha tried not to stare at the expanse of smooth skin and tightly muscled limbs, finally deciding she couldn't avoid looking at her unless she suddenly went blind. Taking the hanger from Fate's fumbling grasp, she said firmly, "Bed."

Nanoha folded the trousers carefully and hung them up in the precisely ordered closet. Shirts and pants were neatly segregated—dress clothes to the left, casual clothes to the right. She stared thoughtfully at the crisp Judo gis and the carefully folded hakamas on the top shelf. The mysterious sheriff was more than a casual martial artist.

Turning, Nanoha found Fate propped up in bed, her hands folded on the sheets that covered her to the waist. She was watching Nanoha carefully, her face inscrutable. Nanoha stared back at her, thinking that this woman spoke volumes with her silence.

"What?" Nanoha asked softly.

"I was watching you study my closet with such interest. Are you always so observant?"

"Occupational hazard. Being a doctor is a little like being a detective—you have to learn not to overlook the subtle details. How about you? Always so neat, ordered, and controlled?"

Fate laughed. "Yes. Fifteen years of the Marine Corp will do that for you. Although it might be hereditary. My father is career military."

"And your mother is an organizational systems manager?" Nanoha joked.

Fate grew suddenly still, her expression thoughtful. "No, my mother is an artist. I'm afraid I didn't inherit anything from her."

Nanoha saw the subject was clearly off limits and once again a vast distance settled between them. "Here," she said, approaching the bed with the plastic bag of ice in her hand, "hold out your arm." She wrapped a towel loosely around Fate's forearm, then applied the ice pack, securing it with another towel. "Keep this on as long as you can. If you have more pain during the night or the numbness worsens, call me. It's unlikely you'll have a problem, but I don't want to take any chances."

"What's your phone number?" Fate asked politely. She had no intention of taking up any more of this woman's time. The whole ridiculous situation was her fault to begin with. No one had ever taken her by surprise like that before.

"Just yell - I'll be on your couch."

Fate shot straight up in bed. "You are not staying here!"

"My Jeep is at the clinic, I'm tired, and I'm starting to get cranky. I intend to go to sleep - immediately. Don't worry, you won't even know I'm here."

"That's not the point!" Fate exclaimed. "You've already done too much for me!"

Nanoha raised an eyebrow. "And just how would you define "too much", Sheriff? Is any help at all too much? Just tell me where the sheets are—I'm beat."

Fate pointed to a military footlocker pushed under the windows. "Bedding's in there, Doctor. Military issue I'm afraid. I've only been a civilian a short time, and shopping has not been high on my list of priorities."

"It'll do for a night. Thanks," Nanoha said as she headed for the door. "Now lights out, please."

"Yes, ma'am," Fate sighed, realizing she had been out maneuvered in more ways than one that evening.

* * *

><p>At five a.m. in May, sunrise was still a long way off. Fate stood in the dim light reflected from the kitchen, looking down at Nanoha Takamachi. She slept on her side, her arms wrapped around the pillow. Her long tousled hair framed a face soft and youthful in sleep. Her clothes were tossed over a nearby chair, her leg brace and cane leaning within arm's reach. Fate was captivated by how peaceful she appeared. Before Fate could move away, Nanoha rolled onto her back and opened her eyes, moving from sleep to full wakefulness almost instantaneously. She saw the curiosity in Fate's face before all expression fled.<p>

"What?" Nanoha asked. "Is there something strange about the way I sleep?"

Fate contemplated her for a moment, aware that she was naked under the light covering. The curve of hip and the swell of breasts were outlined in light and shadow. Fate knew she was staring, and forced her eyes to Nanoha's face.

"You don't just sleep - you seem to embrace it, as if it were nourishing you." Her voice trailed off. She had no words to express how beautiful the woman had been. "I didn't mean to disturb you," she finished awkwardly.

Nanoha sat up, holding the sheet to her chest with one arm. With the other she brushed her hair back from her face. "I think I felt you in my sleep, but it didn't disturb me." She looked at Fate uncertainly. She knew Fate hadn't touched her, but her skin tingled with the sense of a lingering caress. Abruptly she swung her legs to the floor. This was getting ridiculous. Too much turmoil in the last twenty-four hours had her imagining things.

"I need to be up anyhow," Nanoha said more sharply than she intended.

"Right. I'll let you get dressed," Fate said, turning away, nonplussed by the abrupt change. "Coffee?" She asked as she retreated quickly to the kitchen.

"Please," Nanoha called after her. She joined Fate in the kitchen a few moments later, looking around her in surprise. The room, newly renovated, was modern and equipped with professional appliances. "What a great kitchen! You must cook a lot!"

Fate grinned, ducking her head shyly. "A secret vice." She handed Nanoha a steaming cup of freshly ground French Roast.

"However did that happen? Weren't you forced to eat in the mess hall or something?"

Fate laughed, warming Nanoha with the rich timber of her voice. Nanoha relaxed, leaning against the large center cook-island that dominated the space. She sipped her coffee as she examined Fate in the bright morning light. She was in uniform again, the creases in her sleeves and trousers razor sharp, her tie knotted square under a crisp collar. The surface of her shoes sparkled with a flawless shine. She seemed flawless, too. Her waist-length blonde hair was tied back neatly with a thin black ribbon at the nape. The full front fell rather dashingly over clear burgundy eyes, a straight nose, and strong chin. She was handsome and beautiful at the same time, and warning bells began clashing in Nanoha's brain. Women this good-looking generally knew it, and that always spelled trouble. The years had not quite erased the pain left behind by someone nearly as heart-stopping as this. She forced herself to concentrate on what Fate was saying, reminding herself she would never make that mistake again.

"I lived mostly off base. Learning to cook gave me something to do, since I've always lived alone."

"Always?" Nanoha asked. It was hard to believe that a woman with her appeal wasn't attached.

"Yes, always," Fate replied quietly.

Once again Nanoha sensed a door closing as a distant look settled in Fate's eyes.

"How is your arm?" Nanoha asked, retreating to neutral ground.

"Stiff, but the sensation has returned."

"Can you handle your weapon?"

Fate looked surprised. "I think so."

Nanoha shook her head. "You have to be able to or you can't work. Seriously, Sheriff—"

Fate held up a hand. "Please, call me Fate. You can't keep calling me 'Sheriff' in my own kitchen."

Nanoha laughed. "And I'm Nanoha. Now, draw your weapon."

Fate studied her for a second, recognizing the solemn set to her features. She reached behind her with her right hand to set the coffee cup on the counter. In the next instant, she had pivoted away from Nanoha, her revolver in both hands, crouched in a shooting stance. The tailored uniform stretched taut against coiled muscles, the gun unwavering.

Nanoha caught her breath, surprised by Fate's speed and grace. "You pass," Nanoha said lightly, aware that her throat was dry and her pulse racing. She had to admit the combination of physical beauty and controlled power was a compelling image.

Fate straightened, holstering her revolver. She smiled faintly and saluted Nanoha casually. "Thank you, ma'am."

Fate wasn't sure why Nanoha was staring at her so curiously, but she liked the way she laughed. For some reason, the laughter made her happy.

* * *

><p><strong>AN:** That's it for today, thanks for reading! Excuse the cramped formatting, I'm not sure why my html edits aren't being saved.


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